Utility tables capable of storing wrapping materials are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,627 (“'627 patent”) discloses an article wrapping table assembly with folding legs, an inner compartment for storing rolls of wrapping paper, a slidable drawer, a pair of opposed cut outs on one end of the table for supporting a roll of paper and a flat upper surface for receiving paper unraveled from the roll. However, only the end roll of paper is readily accessible from the inner compartment and it is not clear how rolls of a length to fit within the compartment could be fitted in the cut outs.
U.S. Publication No. US2004/0129123 A1 (“'123 publication”) discloses a gift wrapping box with an upper compartment for storing rolls of paper with an open end from which the end roll may be removed, a pair of roll holding clips mounted along the open end of the compartment, and a upper surface for supporting the article to be wrapped. The '123 box, like the '627 table, suffers from the disadvantage that only the end roll is readily accessible. In addition, the '123 work box is not provided with legs to allow the station to be readily raised to a convenient table height. Also, the wrapping accessories are stored in the same compartment as the paper rolls apparently requiring that all such accessories be removed prior to the removal of a paper roll.
Another gift wrapping box, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,942, (“'942 patent”) has a hinged lid overlying a compartment for holding paper rolls, a pull out drawer for storing wrapping accessories, and a roller detachably mounted at one end of the box on which a roll of paper can be inserted. The '942 box, like the '123 box, is not provided with legs. In addition, the paper roll dispensing roller is mounted inside the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,502 (“'502 patent”) discloses afoldable wrapping station with pull out drawers for holding wrapping materials portioned under a grooved platform which allows a user to determine the amount of paper needed for a particular article and cut the paper along a groove. The '502 station has trays at each end for supporting a paper roll, but does not have legs or illustrate any means for storing rolls of wrapping paper.
While the above devices facilitate gift wrapping they all have certain shortcomings. There is a need for a more convenient portable gift wrapping center for storing wrapping as well as stationary supplies and facilitating the use thereof.